Clean water initiative for low-lying Pacific islands

Prime Minister John Key today announced a $5
million initiative to help five low-lying Pacific countries
vulnerable to water shortages to better manage their fresh
water resources.

“For a number of Pacific countries,
access to safe, clean drinking water is not guaranteed.
Ensuring communities and businesses can access clean
drinking water will go a long way to improving people’s
health and livelihoods,” Mr Key says.

“As part of a
practical solution, we have entered into a new five-year
partnership with the Secretariat of the Pacific Community
(SPC) to improve water security in Tuvalu, Tokelau,
Kiribati, the Cook Islands and the Republic of the Marshall
Islands.

“This project will focus on practical steps
such as ensuring gutters are properly connected to storage
tanks, maintaining storage facilities and training national
water security officers to monitor water levels and help
communities be better prepared for water shortages,” Mr
Key says.

Low-lying island nations are particularly
susceptible to salt water inundation. The lack of natural
catchments, ground water, rivers, streams, and a
vulnerability to extreme weather events all compromise these
countries’ water resources.

“On top of the human and
health difficulties, water issues hold these economies back,
through everything from crop failures, to the difficulty of
establishing tourist industries when they can’t rely on a
good supply of safe water,” Mr Key says.

Funding will go
to the SPC and be allocated to activities in each country.
New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade will
help develop implementation plans for each country.

The
programme is expected to start within six months, with
funding spread across the full five years.

“New
Zealand’s commitment to improving water infrastructure and
management in the Pacific is an important part of our
climate change support to the region. We have committed to,
and invested more than $40 million over the last three years
in a range of practical water related initiatives,” Mr Key
says.

“At last year’s Forum, we announced that New
Zealand would work with the Cook Islands and Chinese
governments to improve the water infrastructure on
Rarotonga. This major project will deliver safe drinking
water to all homes and businesses on Rarotonga, the tourist
and economic hub of the Cook Islands, by 2015.

“In
Kiribati we have helped improve rainwater harvesting and
collection facilities, resulting in the total storage
capacity on Tarawa and Kiritimati Islands increasing by a
million cubic litres.

“New Zealand has also provided
emergency assistance following droughts in Tuvalu, Tokelau
and the Republic of the Marshall Islands since 2011, and
unfortunately low rainfall and limited water infrastructure
place these nations at further risk of water shortages.

“We will always be on hand to support our Pacific
neighbours when they face challenges such as water
shortages. However, the aim of New Zealand’s investments
in the region and today’s announcement is to help
communities better manage their water resources and become
more resilient to the droughts and extreme weather
associated with climate change,” Mr Key says.

Mr Key is
in the Marshall Islands for the 44th Pacific Island Forum.
He returns to New Zealand on
Friday.

ALSO:

WorkSafe NZ has laid one charge against the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) in relation to the shooting at the MSD Ashburton office on 1 September 2014 in which two Work and Income staff were killed and another was injured. More>>

New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters has announced his intention to stand in the Northland by-election, citing his own links to the electorate and ongoing neglect of the region by central government. More>>

The Government has appointed 12 New Zealanders as members of the Flag Consideration Panel which will engage with the public about a possible new New Zealand flag, Deputy Prime Minister Bill English says. More>>

ALSO:

ALSO:

The first I knew of my mother’s charges was when I was called by a reporter yesterday. I spoke to Andrew and we agreed there is a conflict of interest at the present time which means I will temporarily stand aside from the Social Development portfolio. It’s the right thing to do… . More>>